Chapter 25: Hit the faces of big shots together, stunning the whole audience

When the four characters "秀才颜雄 (Yan Xiong, the scholar)" were spoken, many people burst into laughter. Even Mulan couldn't help but smile, as if countless flowers were blooming at that moment, beautiful and moving.

But Yan Xiong's teacher's face immediately turned incredibly ugly.

After finishing speaking, Yan Xiong realized that he had been tricked. However, the words spoken were like water spilled out and could not be taken back. He was so angry that he trembled, pointing at Shen Lang and said, "You, you..."

"Yes, you're a fool!" Shen Lang said. "Yan Xiong, you have always been so honest since childhood!"

Yan Xiong was almost furious and wanted to step forward to argue and win.

At this time, his teacher, the former Lord of Xuanwu City, Zhang Boyan, coldly said, "Step back. Do you still need to be more humiliating?"

Yan Xiong retreated in anger, feeling the ridicule of everyone's eyes. He wished he could sink into the ground right then and there.

The thing that scholars cherished the most was their reputation. Being labeled as such would at least stick with him for the rest of his life. Even when taking the imperial examinations, it would have an impact.

At that moment, Yan Xiong angrily said, "Grand Lord, this is your Grand Lord's Mansion. Shen Lang is your son-in-law. Are you going to let him dishonor etiquette and tarnish the reputation of the Jin family?"

The Grand Lord of Xuanwu smiled but did not speak. It was impossible for him to speak up. A mere small scholar like Yan Xiong would not even have the qualification to enter the grand hall if it weren't for the fact that his teacher was the former Lord of Xuanwu City. If such a lowly figure were to be answered by the Grand Lord, it would be exhausting.

Moreover, for Yan Xiong, a mere small scholar, to openly question the marriage affairs of the Grand Lord's Mansion without being held accountable was already a sign of the Grand Lord's magnanimity.

Shen Lang laughed and said, "Yan Xiong, those four words were said by you, I didn't even say a half of a rude word."

Shen Lang added, "As for tarnishing the reputation of the Jin family, please rest assured. Our Jin family is very powerful, and such a trivial matter cannot tarnish our reputation. The reputation of our Jin family lies in the hearts of the people, in the love of the successive Grand Lords of Xuanwu for the common people, and in the loyalty to the sovereign, rather than in the empty words of shameless scholars like you."

At this, the Grand Lord of Xuanwu was taken aback and felt that Shen Lang's words struck a chord with him. Previously, when Shen Lang mentioned marrying Jin Mulan, he even had murderous intentions. Now, he felt that Shen Lang was not bad, and understood his (the Grand Lord's) thoughts.

The Grand Lord of Xuanwu was genuinely devoted to the people of Xuanwu City. However, he was by no means a narrow-minded person. He cherished every single feather on his body, and his son-in-law insulting someone was of no concern as long as it was done with propriety and restraint.

Upon hearing Shen Lang's words, Xu Qianqian couldn't help but be astonished. How could this glib-tongued person be Shen Lang? He had been so mute before. After being driven out of the Xu family, he had undergone such a great change?

"Shameless!" Zhang Jin couldn't help but mutter under his breath. "Just after the marriage ceremony, you're already brashly using the Jin family name. You're really good at flattering. Have some self-respect, won't you?"

However, Shen Lang's words had offended a major figure.

Zhang Boyan, the former Lord of Xuanwu City, was not only Yan Xiong's teacher but also a typical scholar. Earlier, when Shen Lang insulted Yan Xiong, he took it as a game played by a young person. Now, by repeatedly calling scholars shameless, Shen Lang was slapping him in the face. Zhang Boyan had to teach this kid a lesson, so he wouldn't become so arrogant after recognizing a few rare words.

"Student Shen, it seems that you are well-versed in rare words?" Zhang Boyan said.

Shen Lang replied, "I dare not claim to be well-versed, but I have some knowledge."

"I have a word here that my students cannot recognize. I wonder if Student Shen is willing to enlighten them?" Zhang Boyan said.

At these words, everyone suddenly became energized. The students had been humiliated, and their teacher had personally stepped in.

Who was Zhang Boyan? He was the former Lord of Xuanwu City, well-versed in numerous books, especially fond of inspecting ancient relics. After retiring, he opened a school in the city, and many scholars became his students, so he had a profound knowledge.

The Grand Lord of Xuanwu was the ruler of the entire city. Why did this former Lord of Xuanwu City want to oppose the Grand Lord's Mansion?

This was related to the new policies. Starting from over a decade ago, the sovereign began to reclaim fiefs and power from these old aristocrats.

Previously, the position of Lord of Xuanwu City had always been held by someone appointed by the Grand Lord's Mansion, usually the Grand Lord's brother.

Approximately eleven years ago, the Grand Lord's Mansion relinquished the position of lord, and it was taken over by someone appointed by the sovereign.

Since that time, every city lord had a mission, which was to delineate the boundary and secretly struggle against Baron Xuanwu.

Shen Lang smiled and said, "Since Mr. Zhang wants to test me, then I'll give it a try."

This time, neither Baron Xuanwu nor Jin Mulan had any intention to stop him. Shen Lang had already regained his dignity just now. Even if he lost to Zhang Boyan now, it wouldn't matter.

Who was Zhang Boyan? He was a renowned scholar known far and wide.

Shen Lang had only studied at the local school for a few years. It was only natural for him to lose to him, right?

Seeing his mentor stand up for him, the scholar Yan Xiong was delighted and quickly stepped forward to prepare ink for his mentor, spread out a large red paper, and then respectfully handed over the wolf howl brush with both hands.

After receiving it, Zhang Boyan wrote a character on the paper.

Everyone crowded around, including Jin Mulan.

"Excellent character!"

"Elegant and profound, it can only be written with decades of experience."

After Zhang Boyan finished writing, the crowd cheered.

The calligraphy skills of the former city lord of Xuanwu were indeed very good, penetrating the paper with force.

However, nobody recognized the character he wrote.

"Mr. Zhang's character is really excellent, each stroke is entrancing."

"Yes, it couldn't be written without decades of practice."

"However, what character is this?"

"I don't know!"

"I don't know!"

Everyone present shook their heads. Not a single person recognized it, whether they were scholars or literati, including Mulan and Baron.

Someone said, "Mr. Zhang likes to explore and research ancient relics. This must be from an ancient monument, extremely rare. It's not in any books, so no one recognizes this character."

Hearing the words of the crowd, Zhang Boyan felt slightly pleased.

Indeed, this character he had engraved from an ancient monument when he was exploring was only known to those who had read that monument; it was not in any books.

So, besides those who had personally read that monument, no one would understand this character.

Shen Lang took a look and found that it was a seal script.

This character was quite simple, it was the character for "sheep" with two horizontal strokes removed, and written in simplified form, it was "￥".

Every modern Chinese person is very familiar with it because this character is the symbol for the Renminbi, read as "yuan."

But in ancient times, this character definitely did not mean "yuan." Shen Lang truly did not know what it meant or how it should be read.

In the Great Yan Dynasty, besides a very small number of people who excavated ancient relics and studied seal script, others did not touch it at all because this world did not use seal script as a writing tool; it was just a hobby for a small group of people.

So, the difficulty of this character was quite extraordinary.

If Shen Lang relied on himself, he would definitely lose this time.

But he carried a notebook computer from aliens in his body, and it had already merged with his brain.

With just a glance, his eyes immediately scanned the answer from the database.

Baron Xuanwu said, "Shen Lang, this character is extremely difficult. If it weren't for coincidentally seeing it on an ancient monument, no one would recognize it, and it's okay that you don't know."

Then he continued, "Your parents insist on not attending the ceremony, so you and Mulan should go pay your respects to your elders."

This was a way for Shen Lang to save face.

Winning against just Shen Lang was not a concern for Zhang Boyan.

But one character had stumped everyone present, so the former city lord of Xuanwu couldn't help feeling immensely proud, with his hands behind his back, looking lonely and aloof.

Shen Lang said, "Mr. Zhang, if I'm not mistaken, you also don't know how to pronounce this character, do you? You should have learned the meaning of this character based on the context of the monument, but the pronunciation is unknown to you."

"Yes, that's true," Zhang Boyan said. "But knowing the meaning is more important than the pronunciation, isn't it?"

"Really, it's a coincidence that I happen to know how to pronounce this character."

"Impossible," Scholar Yan Xiong said. "My teacher also said that he only understood the meaning of this character based on the context of the monument, so there is no one who knows how to pronounce this character."

Shen Lang said, "If I know how to pronounce this character and also know its meaning, will you slap yourself in the face? Because you just spoke nonsense and insulted me."

"What if you don't know? Or if you're mistaken?"

"Then I'll slap myself."

"Good, it's a deal," Scholar Yan Xiong said. "Let everyone here bear witness."

Baron Zhang Boyan did not intervene; going against the baron's mansion was politically correct. Shen Lang was too arrogant tonight and needed to be taught a proper lesson.

Shen Lang said, "This character is pronounced the same as 'ren'."

"Haha..." Scholar Yan Xiong said, "You're saying it's pronounced 'ren'? Who can prove that?"

Shen Lang said, "And the meaning of this character should be related to piercing."

As soon as these words were spoken, the face of the former city lord of Xuanwu, Zhang Boyan, instantly changed, revealing a completely incredulous look.

This, this couldn't be true!

Was he seeing things? This character without a source, Shen Lang actually recognized it? And he even knew how to pronounce it?